Illundiel - Market Story

That was a close one but I still have to get out of here. These people, things, whatever they are all seem different to me. I don’t know how to make anyone else see it. I’ll find a way, but first I got to get out of here. The marketplace smells foul, everywhere is affected by the plague. I can see the black melons, the rotten apples, so putrid the dogs won’t even eat them. The merchants are lifeless, but are men nonetheless. All of these people are. It’s the guards that are different. The guards, the elected officials, the warriors are the ones that aren’t right. If I had to kill real people then I wouldn’t know what to do.

An official, a Judicator perhaps, arrives in the square. An executioner and some guards accompany him as do three prisoners, “We are proud to announce that a caravan has just arrived from an Imperial Storehouse and there will be fresh food today. It will be available to all, so stock up while you can,”

The announcement causes such a stir that the people begin knocking each other over, trampling each other to get food. He wasn’t lying; the food is fine, that much I can smell. I look over and see an old man too weak to even leave his food stand, I can’t even begin to anticipate the implications of what I’m about to do, but I have to do it. Walking over to his stand, the guards pay me little attention; I’ve not yet given them reason to. I don’t have any money and if I did I would give it away, but upon picking the pomegranate up I notice how sweet and delicious it looks; the soft skin and the sweet smelling meat appeal to me and will be vital for these people. I bite into it…juicy and ripe. I give it back to the old man and walk away. I feel the corruption running through me and grow weaker as my powers begin to fail me.

“Those who stand before you are accused of heresy against the Tribunal and your King. Their use of black magic has brought blight unto the land and summons the Night Stalkers that attack our very kingdom and threaten your children. Look, the dwarves and elves have corrupted your own brethren as well in their effort to bring down the King, Tribunal, and realm. Consider yourselves lucky, that our kingdom has as good of a protector as our King is, others have not been as lucky…” The Judicator continues to play to the crowd gathered around the execution square.

Another crowd closer to the farmers' stands is erupting with rejoice. Their cries at some times rivaled the droning of the Judicator.

“My fruit!! My fruit is ripe!”

“Fresh melons, apples, and pears!”

As the Judicator continues, I realize that I can’t let these people die. They’re people, and for some reason he is a person too. So what the hell is going on here? I’m hurt enough as it is, I can’t risk a scene, and I can’t let them get away with this. Black magic? I don’t know if the crowd believes him, but he certainly knows how to manipulate them, indirectly threatening their families and children with death. Too many raids. Too many farmers killed and crops burned; these people are desperate. The screams from the crowd show how indifferent they are to the people. They cry out for hangings. They’re afraid and they need to feel better, they need to feel powerful and safe, and they’d do anything for that. I’d do anything for that, but I’m not as lucky as they are, I’m cursed.

“…Guards take position. What we do here, we do for the good of not only this kingdom but of all the kingdoms in the land. Our good King and Lord was right to bring the army and farmers back into the castle walls. We need all the protection that can get, our own mages work tirelessly with Holy magic to combat this threat, but they are evil, we have resolve… Executioner, you may be “Nooo!!!!! …What trickery is this?” the Judicator screams as the crowd becomes restless and afraid.

A mere thought and the “guilty parties” disappear and are safe. They wanted a show, they got a show… more then enough to let them know who I am, if they didn’t already know. It hurt too, if I’m lucky I’ll die, but I still have a job to do. Escape isn’t really an option anymore, and I can’t heal, run, hide, or fight, that scene in the market has left me too weak. What do I do? What can I do? Do I stay with the crowd or do I run for it, right through the gate? They’ll probably see me either way, I’m not sure what kind of creatures or demons they may be, but I won’t kill them unless I have to.

That’s when I felt the dagger stab me in the back. Was already too hurt, might have been able to phase if I hadn’t saved those innocents, hopefully I sent them somewhere safe. I don’t think I’m going to die, but I don’t see the reason that I should be made to suffer. I was a target when I was doing nothing, and now I’m just that much more approachable now that I help people. Someday it’ll change, someday what he said would come true … just … not … now…

Those were the events that led up to where I am now. I have just awoken, and yet the events seem so long ago. All my old wounds are healed and only the stab wound remained, and it’s too bad they didn’t stab me in the heart, if that would even work. My strength slowly returning now, I begin to look around my accommodations, my room, a prison and yet an escape from my own. This was a torture chamber. The wooden machine might soon be used to stretch, to break me, and if I were lucky would kill me. The floor is covered in blood, the walls are covered with blood, and oddly enough there is blood on the ceiling; yet all of the blood was dry, it appeared as if this room hadn’t been used in ages. The only thing that doesn’t have blood on it was a beautiful blue and silver stained glass window depicting the birth of the Gods. What the window does have on it was enchantments, designed to keep me in no doubt. They might be the reason why I was feeling weaker not weaker, just out of it. Maybe I don’t have any powers any more, I mean that happens to most people…maybe I used up the last of them by not dying this time before I can survey my surroundings anymore a man bursts through the door.

“How are you? I hope we haven’t inconvenienced you too much?” his voice was regal and kind, and in an instant I realize that I should be as scared as I was reassured. He waits, studying me no doubt. Maybe waiting for my answer. “Well, either way, I think we both know that the people you freed today weren’t a threat to anyone. They were to be made examples of, to further canonize the people to...” He continued to speak and as he said the words, he looked not at me, but into and through me and I could feel his red hot eyes on my soul. I could not concentrate on what he was saying, my mind was shifting between had had already occurred and what was yet to come; more importantly though, what would never come.

“Why are you doing this? Who are you? How many of you are there? Nothing can be gained by this. How have you tricked the Tribunal into allowing this farce to continue?” I pleaded, our great and wise leaders would have to put a stop to this eventually. They had dealt with matters far more pressing then this before, yet this blight was crippling the kingdoms. I was getting stronger by the moment, but feeling out of it all the same.

“Listen, I know that you have questions, and I want you to know that we’re not going to kill you because we’d rather have you on our side. You’re special, perhaps more so then you know. You will be our weapon, our vanguard, and our salvation. I am Jacobi, many refer to me as the Sovereign, I control and protect this land, and soon you will too.”

As he spoke I began to hear voices inside my head. “RUN. TAKE HIM! TAKE HIM NOW! THE WINDOW, QUICK!” What was happening to me? I must be going crazy. I’ve never heard voices before, maybe that means I’m closer to my goal, maybe it’s the voices of those I’ve wronged trying to trick me, maybe it’s nothing at all.

“Jacobi, I must say I’m flattered. You say that I am special, yet I had no idea what was going on here. No idea that you were here, your skill is legend.” I flatter him.

“Well I can’t say that I wouldn’t have been hurt if you did not know who I was. Yourself though, you are legend¾” Jacobi is interrupted by the prisoner guard.

A knock at the door, “An Inquisitor has just arrived and wished to immediately speak with the prisoner…he also requests that you allow him to take the prisoner with him. We’ve dispatched messengers as well, an attack against The Order should commence shortly.”

Jacobi gets out of his chair and moves over to the door. “Tell the Inquisitor, he can meet the prisoner after diner and that we are not to be interrupted again. And tell him that I yelled a lot when I said this.”

“I’m sorry, good private time is so hard to find nowadays. You’ll see that our kingdom is not perfect, the plague affects us here as well. I don’t know who you think we are…I simply try to rule for the good of my people, to protect them from the natural dangers of this land.”

“I know you’re a demon.” As I say this, Jacobi shows no indication that my words mean anything to him. “There are rumors about you. Your speed and skill as a swordsman, no man could be that good. You obviously know that I’ve met with The Order before, they told me to come here and they told me that you were a bad creature…but oddly enough they never mentioned that you were here.”

“People say things. Good and evil, right and wrong. These are just meaningless words, it’s the perception that matters,” he remains calm as he lectures to me, but grows angry as he hears screaming down the hall. “Ahem, now you must realize that perception is key to everything. I may appear to be young and beautiful, but I am actually very old and quite ugly. I care little about what you think, I’ve been told that will be the key to our endgame. I know you, I know that you’ve either seen it already or will soon as you begin to come into your powers…you don’t understand.” As he went on, he appeared to become upset and his age showed more and more upon his face. “Whether or not you realize it, I am your friend. I am the people’s friend, we fight only The Order…they are not the holier than thou rag-a-muffin group that you met. I assume they offered you assistance? Rushed in to save the day.”

“There was an ambush…Night Stalkers. I could have handled them had I been alone, but there were too many to fight at once while protecting the others. I’m cursed…I can’t die, and don’t think you can offer that to me. I won’t die until I know that I’m not needed”

He yells, “You should not be so quick to assume! Do not play with death in such a manner! You have no yet died, you can die, and you will die!…but you will be ours first.”

Jacobi moves for the door and I feel more compelled to move, for the window. I don’t know what was controlling me now, but I know that I have to get out of here; magical barrier or not I’m shattering that window. I shatter the flaming blue, silver glass and plummet downward. As I fall, I can’t make out the shouting above me and can only see the ground waiting to break my fall. I don’t do anything, can’t do anything, but I escape.